MLS Seattle Sounders FC

Seattle Sounders FC fall to Columbus

March 30, 2014 - Major League Soccer (MLS)
Seattle Sounders FC News Release


SEATTLE, Wash. - Kenny Cooper scored his first club goal for Seattle, but Sounders FC (2-2-0, 6 points) was undone by a second-half stoppage time game-winner, falling to the Columbus Crew (3-0-0, 9 points), 2-1, on Saturday night on the Xbox Pitch at CenturyLink Field.

Cooper put Seattle ahead in the 22nd minute when he got behind the Columbus defense on a pass from Obafemi Martins. Cooper beat his defender and slotted a right-footed shot past Crew goalkeeper Steve Clark from the left side of the box.

Columbus equalized on a penalty from Federico Higuain in the 59th minute following a foul in the box. Defender Djimi Traore was issued a red card for the foul and Seattle played the final 30 minutes down a man.

The Crew scored the game-winner in the fourth minute of stoppage time following a quickly taken corner kick by Higuain. Second-half substitute Justin Meram fired a right-footed shot from the left side of the box to the top corner of the goal as Columbus won its third-straight game to start the season.

Moments before Cooper's goal in the first half, Lamar Neagle had three consecutive chances for Sounders FC, beginning in the 19th minute. Gonzalo Pineda chipped a cross to Neagle in front of goal, who snapped a header that was saved by a diving Clark.

One minute later, Neagle got behind the Crew's backline on a through ball from Pineda, but Neagle's left-footed shot from outside of the box was tipped over the crossbar by Clark. In the 21st minute, Dylan Remick found Neagle with a cross but his header was saved by Clark.

Columbus nearly scored minutes before halftime when Higuain's chip attempt bounced off the crossbar and Bernardo Anor's headed rebound attempt rolled wide of the post.

Seattle's best chance of the second half came in the 57th minute when Martins chased down a loose ball near the end line. Martins cross bounced in the box but Osvaldo Alonso's headed attempt was saved by Clark.

Chad Marshall, who played the previous 10 seasons with Columbus, nearly scored in the 69th minute but his header from a Pineda free kick bounced wide of the post.

Sounders FC collected over $17,400 in donations for those affected by disasters like the Oso mudslide. With the Hanauer Family Foundation and Paul G. Allen Foundation matching $15,000, Sounders FC raised over $32,400 for the American Red Cross.

Sounders FC kicks off a three-game road trip next week, beginning with the first Cascadia Cup match of the season against the Portland Timbers. Kickoff is set for 12 p.m. PT from Providence Park.

Check out the Seattle Sounders FC Statistics



Major League Soccer Stories from March 30, 2014


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